When people think of leaders, figures who typically come to mind are presidents, professional sports players, and business leaders. But Darren Buddemeyer, the CEO of DynaFlex, says leaders aren't just people who are in charge of a country, team, corporation, or community.
Leaders can come from anywhere. They're people who can find inspiration within and maximize the potential that already exists in others. If you want to grow into the leader you think you can be, follow the guidelines below to realize your full potential.
Adopt the Right Mindset
Many people have immense leadership potential within but fail to recognize it simply because of their mindset. It can be easy for humans to focus on the negatives and make them bigger than they actually are, while at the same time brushing off the positives that make them great.
A way to overcome this is to adopt a growth mindset. In this way, you'll be embracing any challenges that come your way and focusing on the effort you put in to overcome them, rather than whether you failed at all along the way.
An easy place to start is by noting any small win you achieve and celebrating it. This will help you shift your mindset.
Find Time Management That Works for You
Great leaders are often viewed as free-thinkers who follow their own tune. The word "structure" doesn't always fit for leaders.
That being said, every successful leader is able to create an effective time management plan that works for them. If they don't, there's no way they'd be able to accomplish everything that's required of them in a day.
The important thing to remember here is that you need to find a plan that works for you. If making lists and setting a strict minute-by-minute schedule works for you, then do that. If you need to rely on a looser schedule, then that's fine, too.
Just prioritize what's important and organize each and every day, so there's always enough time.
Set and Work Toward Goals
A lot of people have great ideas for what they want. People who become great leaders can take these ideas and turn them into realistic goals they can achieve.
When you have a vision for what you'd like your life to become, write it down. Then, see if you can turn it into a well-defined goal. Once you've done that, create a process for how you're going to achieve it.
Finally, track your progress toward that goal, and don't get discouraged if you suffer setbacks as you do. All this trial-and-error will prove invaluable to you as a future leader, as you'll be sharpening your teeth, so to speak, and showing others how to do the same.
Be Confident
All great leaders are confident in themselves in what they do. They may be unsure of a decision from time to time, but ultimately, they stand by the decision they make and the process they took to get to that decision.
Darren Buddemeyer says that if you want to realize your leadership potential, you need to build confidence in yourself. Each of the tips above will help you build that confidence naturally. So, too, will the trial-and-error process that is necessary to accomplish even the smallest of goals.
Remember to never be discouraged by a setback or a lack of progress. If you keep working hard and remain confident in your abilities, you can realize the potential that lies within.
About Darren Buddemeyer
Darren Buddemeyer is the CEO of DynaFlex – a leader in orthodontic products, orthodontic appliances, and dental sleep medicine device manufacturing. He first started with DynaFlex doing odd jobs at the age of 14, and it's no understatement to say he took the company from very humble beginnings to a powerhouse in the dental industry. Now, as the head of the company, Darren's mission is to help doctors around the world fulfill their mission: To enhance their patients' smiles and quality of sleep.
